


Setting Ablaze

by Naos



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Caretaking, Domestic Avengers, Fluff, I Don't Even Know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-06-04 11:58:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6656932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naos/pseuds/Naos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As it was, the picture they made for their fellow Avengers was of Tony staring at a miserable Thor like Fury stared at Junior Agents and occasionally World Security Council members, when he was of the opinion that they were being exceptionally dense.<br/>Thor just looked like he always looked when he was told that he has done something wrong but had no idea what exactly it was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wake-up-call

**Author's Note:**

> Just a friendly warning, this is a work in progress.   
> I know, roughly, where I am going with this.   
> It's completion is just rather dictadet by the amount of work I will have to do in real life.

“Thor”

“Yes, friend Tony?”

“Would you be so kind as to explain just what is going on? Cause I sure don’t know what I am looking at here. And I like to know what is going on in my tower and this is obviously not anything Midgard came up with. So. Spill.”

The god of Thunder shifted slowly from foot to foot, looking at everything but Tony or the reason for his ire and stayed suspiciously silent.

“Thor, I am getting pretty impatient here.”

Thor’s gaze flittered to Tony’s eyes shortly, before focusing on a tile at his feet.

Tony made his displeasure at his continued silence known by giving the god the evil eye.

It would have made more of an impact, had the Thunderer actually looked up to see it. 

As it was, the picture they made for their fellow Avengers was of Tony staring at a miserable Thor like Fury stared at Junior Agents and occasionally World Security Council members, when he was of the opinion that they were being exceptionally dense.

Thor just looked like he always looked when he was told that he has done something wrong but had no idea what exactly it was.

This scenario occurred fairly often and as such did not garner much of a reaction from either Steve or Bruce as they made their way from the elevator past the pair to the kitchen, all the while ignoring the pleading looks Thor shot them as they passed.

Their hope of not being included in the latest episode of ‘How-to-make-the-god-of-thunder-cry-in-ten-minutes-or-less; a study by Tony Stark’, died a swift and fiery death, literally, as Tony speeded into the kitchen, holding a bowl in his hands, that was literally smoking.

Knowing that it was inevitable, Bruce closed the book he had been preparing to read, handed it to Steve for safekeeping and focused his attention on a fuming Tony and the equally fuming bowl he was holding out to him.

The three of them stared at it silently.

Steve snapped out of it first.

“Good morning, Tony.”

“Oh, is it, Steve? Is it really? I am of course happy for you and your perfect mornings when you wake up from your super beauty soldier sleep, eat your super-duper soldier breakfast and live your super-duper soldier life. Or I would be, had I not been busy being woken by the sprinkler system. 

The water is not heated, Steven. Not. Heated. I can feel the pneumonia settling in this very second.”

“You should have showered.” Bruce pointed out in the short moment it took Tony to draw breath.

Steve eyed the puddle that was slowly spreading on the kitchen floor as the water from his clothes collected there.

“Or at least dressed in something dry.” He muttered.

Tony glared at him.

“You will have to understand, Steven, that I was a tad busy panicking, as drowning in my Livingroom is not on my to-do list first thing in the morning.”

Now that Bruce paid attention, he took note of the man’s faster than usual breathing, widened pupils and haggard skin. His hands shook where they were pressed tightly against the porcelain material of the bowl.

Then it hit him: Tony was having a panic attack.

“Come on, Tony, hand that over.” 

Steve said as he reached for the bowl. He had noticed the tremors as well. 

Tony just looked at him in incomprehension and wound his arms tighter around it. 

“No. I…no. Just…take a look at this.” 

With that he upturned the bowl. Its contents spilled across the black marbled kitchen counter. A red stone rolled in a straight line only to make a U-turn when it threatened to fall down the ledge and came to rest in between Steve and Bruce, all the while being trailed by a tendril of white smoke.


	2. Talk

“Is that…” Steve started, looking at the stone distrustfully. 

He furrowed his brow as a cloud of black smoke rose from where the stone was resting. 

He cut a look at Tony.

“What is that?”

Tony returned the look with pursed lips. Instead of answering, he crossed over to where Bruce was bracing himself on his arms, leaning across the countertop, to get closer to stone. It emitted a soft, hazy glow. 

“Whatever it is, I think it is trying to burn through the marble.” Bruce said. He sniffed once, grimaced lightly and leaned back to put some distance between himself and the thing. He stood up. 

“I’ll go open a window.” 

“Get Thor while you’re at it. He still has some explaining to do.” Tony called after him while leaning his hips against the edge of the cabinets the stone was resting on. 

He then proceeded to eye it warily.

Steve gave it one last look, before shifting his focus to Tony.

He looked utterly miserable.

There were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept in days, he was also drenched from head to toe.  
Tony had crossed his arms over his soaked tank top and was shivering softly. He didn’t seem to notice. 

After a brief fight with himself, his understanding of Tony’s desire to appear unaffected warring with his own desire to help him, he tries to settle for something in between. Distraction.

He leans forward to rest his arms on the countertop, careful not to touch the red stone, which has somewhat slowed in its quest to burn a whole through the marble -it was now settled snuggly in a little nest of melted obsidian - which had the desired effect of drawing some of Tony’s attention to him.

“So...care to fill me in?”

After a moment, with only the soft noises of sizzling stone breaking the silence, one of Tony’s hands came up to cover his eyes, rubbing softly. He drew several deep breaths in an obvious effort to calm himself. Finally, his hands come down to settle on the surface of the cabinet behind him.

When he speaks, his voice has only the faintest shaky note to it. 

“I honestly don’t know where to start. I mean, I may as well consider myself an expert concerning the strange, unusual and evil, as I think we all can, but waking up to water in my lungs and a god of mischief in my living room is still a bit much, even for me.”

“Loki? He’s here? Right now?” 

Steve lunged to his feet, fully prepared to track the god down if that was the case. He calculated the time it would take to get to Tony’s penthouse. Two minutes at top speed. Five if he got his shield first. No time for the suit.

Tony just shook his head.

“No, Jarvis told me that he had left the tower shortly after I saw him.” 

Instead of retaking his seat, Steve chose to stand behind his chair, hands gripping the back of it tightly. 

“Are you sure? Tony, I need you to be sure.”

After the mess Loki had made of New York, the mad god was still a somewhat sore point for the team.

Tony heaved a deep sigh.

“We are sure Captain Rogers.” Jarvis answered for him. “He has left the premises at precisely 6:45. His entry triggered none of my sensors. By the time he registered, half of him had already left.” 

Steve raised one eyebrow. 

“Half of him?”

“It has proven difficult to determine when an illusion appears or disappears. The energy involved makes a mess of the more delicate sensors. It’s like a hiccup in the system. A Blank Space, so to speak”

Tony explains.

“The magic just doesn’t translate well into DATA the systems can understand. I’ll have to do something about that. Some new parameters, maybe. Thor’ll have to help with that. It’s high time I get some more readings of Mjolnir anyway.  
We need some form of protection against hostile magic.” 

“That seems like a good idea, Tony. You do that.”

If Loki was on the loose again, god knew they would sorely need all the protection they could get their hands on. All the better if Tony could come up with something to combat the darn magic with. Apart from Thor they were all out of their depth in that department of Loki’s prowess.

“If there is anything I can help with, I would be happy to.” 

“I’m sure I can find some heavy lifting for you to do, you know, to make you feel like you are contributing to what will undoubtedly be another milestone of progress made by the genius that is me…and maybe Banner, if he wants to.” 

“If I want to, what?” 

Two heads swivel in the direction of the kitchen entrance, where Bruce stands, an obviously reluctant Thor in tow, the trailing ends of his trademark red cape held securely into one fist.

“Are you holding his cape? Why are you holding his cape?”

Thro looked vaguely embarrassed.

“Oh my god. Are you blushing? Jarvis, tell me we have this recorded.”

As Tony seemed to be about three seconds from going over to pinch the god’s cheek or something equally ridiculous that would be likely to result in either bodily or mental harm, Steve saw fit to intervene by leaning across to poke Tony in the ribs.

The genius didn’t bother to acknowledge the action, but thankfully stayed put.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “He tried to run.”

Trying in vain to hold back a smile, Steve turned in Thor’s direction. “Didn’t work out as you hoped, I assume.”

Thor nodded. “He is rather fast, in either form. I failed to consider this in my haste.” He glanced at Tony, who was still shaking with little suppressed chuckles. “Is all well again? I assure you, I do not know what my brother’s plans are or I would have warned you. You have to believe t’is true.” 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m not mad at you. I overreacted and I’m sorry. Now put those eyes away. I feel like I kicked a puppy.”

Thor just tilts his head and widens his eyes a little more. “I do not know what you speak of.”

“Don’t give me that, big guy. You know damn well what I mean. I’ve talked with Jane, you do the same shit to her, when she’s pissed at you.” He points an accusing finger at him.  
“And I won’t stand for it. You are not going to get your way all the time.”

He crosses his arms while frowning at Thor playfully, who, in turn seemed to outright sparkle, as he smiles back. 

Bruce, meanwhile,releasea the cape, seeing as Thor wasn’t likely to bolt anymore, and takes a seat beside Steve. 

“Now that the children get along again, do you think we could get back to the matter at hand?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone makes mistakes.

“Right, Loki.” Steve says, becoming sombre.

As always when the trickster’s name is mentioned, the mood in the room becomes charged and wary.

Bruce stiffens and throws distrustful looks around the room, as if saying the name will somehow summon the man from the Aether and Thor’s shoulders slump almost imperceptibly, as if a weight has settled on them.

“I thought this was about the stone. What does Loki have to do with this?”

“That’s what Tony has to tell us.” Steve says, straightening up behind his chair.

“You know how Loki can do those little tricks with the illusions and whatnot? The ones in Stuttgart? One of them payed me a visit this morning.” The genius explains, thrumming his fingers in a nervous tattoo against the table. “One second I’m asleep and the next thing I know, the sprinkler is going full force and Loki is standing in my living room, armour and all.” 

“And you didn’t think to call us?” As always Steve manages to sound deeply disapproving and worried at the same time.

“There was no time.” Tony explains, defensive. “He was there, threw that thing at me and left.”

He gestures at the stone with an irritated wave of his hand, which draws everyone’s attention to it and they stare at it for a bit until Bruce raises his hand.

“I have a question,” He states,” why do you think that it was an illusion? They are intended to be indistinguishable from the real Loki,’ He looks at Thor ‘right?’

Thor nods his head in affirmation. ‘Yes, my Brother has always taken great pride in all his magics, but the arts of deception, which illusions are part of, have always been his favourites and not only because he excels at them.’

The Thunderer explains in the sad, wistful tone he always adopts when talking about his brother, though the sadness was less present than at the beginning, when the betrayal had still been fresh in his mind.

‘Even when we were both but children, most have been unable to tell truth from lie when confronted with his illusionary tricks.’ 

A corner of his mouth quirks up and he closes his eyes in reminiscence. ‘It has made for many an interesting tale to tell around the campfires.’

Tony always gets uncomfortable when Thor speaks about the Loki from before.

The picture he paints them of pre-Invasion Loki seems just so utterly disconnected from the one they have from the lunatic that invaded NY, it's like they are different beings.  
While Tony is the first one to declare that he is not a people person, at all, he will also say that he doesn’t have to be to know what makes them tick. It's a skill furthered by natural observation skill, honed in long years of practice and has proven notably useful when dealing with business partners, reporters and super villains alike, because no matter how crazy they appear at first glance, they are still human on the inside and therefore, they can be analysed.

And Tony's great at analysing.

The crux of the matter is that the readings he has gotten of the god do not only not match what Thor tells them, but also conflict with themselves, which admittedly could be attributed to the Tricksters lapse in sanity, but Tony doesn't think that’s the case.

He's pulled away from his musings by a voice from right next to his ear. ‘Tony, you with us?’ Snapping his head around a little too fast, he grimaces as the abused muscles in his neck remind him why exactly sleeping on the floor is a bad idea. Bruce gives him a *look* and points at a vacant chair. ‘Sit.’

Feeling like he should be more affronted than he is, he protests, ‘I'm not a dog.’ but goes to sit down anyway.

‘I was thinking more along the lines of toddler, actually, but dog works, too.’ Bruce comes to stand behind him and starts prodding at his shoulder and neck, feeling for strained muscles and working out the kinks he finds.

Tony relaxes into the massage with a relieved groan and ignores the amused snorting from around the room.

They are just jealous anyway.

Bruce makes a worried sound as he tilts Tony's head gently forward to stretch the muscles there. ‘When was the last time you slept?’ Tony opens his mouth to answer and Bruce just continues talking. ‘Like genuinely slept, Tony, in a bed, not on the ground.’

It's probably a bad sign that he can't remember.

There's a resigned sigh from Steve's direction. ‘We've talked about this, you need to sleep. Your armour might be iron, but your body's not, what if we get called out and you fall asleep?’

‘The armour’s not iron.’

‘That's not the point’

‘It's a titanium gold alloy.’

‘Tony!’

‘I'll try, okay? Geez, do I have a sign on my back saying “mother me, please”?’ That's actually something Clint would do, so the possibility is not zero.

‘I don't hear you complaining about Bruce.’ Steve actually sounds a little hurt.

‘Bruce is fine, he's a bro, he makes me feel good, you're just nagging.’

Bruce digs his fingers into a knot with a little more force than strictly necessary and follows Tony's movements as he tries to lessen the pressure instinctively by leaning forward.

‘Don't make this sound dirty or I'll stop.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘We’re getting off track here.’ Steve rubs the bridge of his nose tiredly.

‘Tony. Illusions.’ He looks at the genius, who has his eyes closed in relaxed bliss, with Bruce still working on his shoulders.

‘Mmh, I’m busy. Jarvis, you explain.’

‘Very well. While the illusions are visually not to distinguish from the original, we have noticed one difference: Their mass doesn’t match.’

‘Their mass?’ Steve couldn’t have sounded more incredulous if he tried. ‘How did you find that out?’

‘The upper floors of the tower are equipped with a wide spectrum of sensors up to and including optoelectronic, imaging and pressure sensors, they have to be to enable Jarvis’ awareness of his surroundings.’ Tony pipes up from across the table. ‘The Helicarrier is a flying fortress and Fury a distrusting bastard, so of course there is monitoring there as well. I simply compared all the data I could get my hands on concerning Loki and his abilities and that stood out about his illusions.’

‘It is unusual for him to make such a mistake.’ Thor’s forehead is furrowed over stormy blue eyes.

‘Well, it happened, he’s fallible after all. Everyone miscalculates sometimes.’

‘Aye. T’is true.’ The thunderer folds one arm across his chest and raises the hand of the other to breast height, rubbing his fingers together in thought. ‘But he has always been meticulous with his illusions, it is astonishing to find out they aren’t as impeccable as he always proclaimed. How could it be?’

‘I have theories, of course, but short of having the real deal here for testing, they stay theoretical.’ Tony says while Thor nods in understanding and resumes his thinking.

Steve clears his throat. ‘Will you be able to detect if they appear again?’ He directs his question at the ceiling, even after all this time it is a habit that just stuck with him. Even Thor doesn’t do that anymore.

‘Of course, Captain Rogers’

‘Good.’ He says. ‘Now, what do you know about the stone?’


	4. Burn?

‘Right now? Not much.’ The genius shrugs. ‘I know it’s hot and most likely not of earthen origin, that’s about it. Considering that it’s a “gift” from Loki, it’s likely to blow up in our faces sooner or later.’

‘I suggest we get rid of it.’ Bruce says from where he stands next to Tony.  
‘As far as I am concerned, nothing good will ever come from glowing stones from outer space. We don’t need another tesseract incident on our hands.’

Steve nods. ‘My thoughts exactly.’

‘Maybe we should not rush things.’ Thor speaks from his place, leaning against the wall. At the looks he receives from his fellow avengers, he elaborates. ‘I know you do not trust my brother and you have good reason not to, but appearing in the man of Irons private chambers, finding him in a vulnerable position, then leaving without uttering a threat; don’t you think it strange behaviour for him?’

Steve and Bruce exchange glances over the table.

‘He has a point.’ Says Bruce. ‘Loki is a drama queen, if he were to kill us, we would definitely notice. There would be speeches involved.’

‘So, what? We keep the stone?’ Tony asks. ‘In that case I call dips.’Faster than Steve can blink, Tony picks up the stone. He has to wriggle it back and forth a bit, as it has burrowed itself under molten marble.

‘What are you doing?!’ Steve reaches out to slap the thing out of his hand and sees Bruce preparing to do the same, but Tony is faster and holds it out of reach.

‘Hey, hey. Stop that, it’s fine.’ He lowers his hand and opens his fist when he’s sure that nobody’s going to hit him, so that the stone is seen resting in his palm. While it is still glowing a deep amber colour and smoking, Tony’s hand doesn’t seem burned. ‘See.’ Tony says, sounding a little smug. ‘Totally not smouldering.’ 

He throws it into the air with a quick twist of a wrist and Steve can’t help the instinctive cringe as Bruce snatches it out of the air.

‘He’s right.’ Bruce sounds surprised and intrigued at the same time as he turns it over in his hands. ‘How strange. It feels warm but not unbearably so, certainly not hot enough to burn skin.’ He looks at the ruined table top. ‘Or melt solid stone, for that matter.’

‘I know. Awesome, isn’t it?’ Tony is nearly vibrating in his seat with excitement.

‘More like impossible.’ Bruce murmurs as he surrenders possession of the stone to Tony’s grabby fingers.

‘It’s magic, Bruce. It doesn’t work by your rules.’ Tony singsongs and stands up. With an ‘I’m going do science.’ and a wave the genius is out of the door and on the elevator.

Left in his wake are three avengers, giving each other worried looks. ‘Think he’s going to be fine?’ Bruce asks while inspecting the hole in the table with something like apprehension.

Steve cards a hand through his hair, making it stick up in funny directions and heaves a sigh that makes him sound twice his age. ‘I honestly don’t know. I just hope for the best. Can you keep an eye on him for me, Jarvis? Call me, when you think he’s being stupid?’

After receiving an affirmative response he looks at his remaining teammates.

‘Someone will have to inform the Director of what happened.’ He says. 

‘Not it.’ Says Bruce.

‘Not it.’ Says Thor, who seems very proud of himself for knowing that ‘custom’.

Steve scowls at both of them, ‘What are you, five?’, but he rises and makes for the door, grumbling all the way.

He really wasn’t looking forward to this.


	5. Chapter 5

When Tony resurfaces after 18 straight hours in the lab, he's exhausted.

Not that that has ever stopped him before, he's worked harder and longer under much more unfavourable circumstances.   
He does this by ignoring whatever physical strain his body tries to make him aware of and soldiers on, but Jarvis (the traitor) has shut down his equipment after he has almost sawed himself in the leg; twice; and refuses to engage it again.  
For an AI with no actual body to call his own, he is quite protective of Tony's.

Now, forced into inactivity, his body's demands return with renewed vigour; it wants a shower, sleep and food, not necessarily in that order. Listening to the medley of his growling stomach the genius decides that food sounds like a great idea.

After debating with Jarvis about the likelihood of food poisoning if he eats the two week old piece of pepperoni pizza he finds buried between two important folders; if the word urgent written across them in bold red letters is to be believed; he embarks for the kitchen.

The layout of the tower is the same for all the topmost floors, which Tony reserved for the Avengers use only. Every floor is a living space of its own and every avenger has their own floor, which they can decorate after their own leisure. While every floor has a kitchen, the ones used the most are the ones on Steve's and Bruce's floors; the ones who actually like to cook. Steve's is currently indisposed, due to a hole in the kitchen counter, as such Bruce's is the next best bet.

Tony is therefore not surprised to find Bruce there, cutting vegetables into little cubes.

What surprises him is that Natasha is sitting across from him, nibbling on a piece of carrot.  
If his memory served him correctly, she was scheduled to return from her mission a week from now; not the first time she goes over and beyond expectations.

Bruce notices him when he's halfway across the kitchen and waves at him with the knife.

Natasha raises a finely shaped eyebrow as she looks him up and down, coming to rest on his eyes, which are red rimmed and underlined by dark circles. The results of his current insomnia.

‘You look like shit.’ She says.

‘Love you too, dear.’  
He counts it a win that she smirks at him before taking another bite.

Pulling out the chair just next to hers, he slowly sits down with a groan; too much time spent bend over the work benches is hell on the back.  
He shifts on his seat, searching for a comfortable position that doesn't aggravate his stiff muscles.

‘When did you get back?’ He asks Natasha.  
‘Two hours ago.’ She sniffs audibly and wrinkles her nose at him. ‘You need a shower.’

Tony waves her off. ‘Later. Food now.’ Eyeing the little piles of vegetables sitting in bowls on the table, he considers his choices.

‘Here, you can have some of mine.’ Natasha holds out a medium sized bowl filled with an assortment of colourful pieces.   
Blinking at the bowl, then at Natasha he tries to gauge the sincerity of her offering before reaching out slowly. Finally holding the dish gingerly in both hands, he looks at her with wide eyes.  
‘I don't say this often, but you're my hero.’  
‘I know.’

He picks up a handful of carrots, cucumbers and radishes and shoves them messily into his mouth, not caring how he looks while doing it.  
God he's famished.

Natasha tuts her disapproval and Bruce chuckles and hands her a new bowl and Tony is suddenly hit by a wave of a whole lot of comfy feelings; he covers it by grabbing more vegetables and chewing in a lavish manner.

That's been happening more often, as of late, and it's a more than a little unsettling. The gooey, fluffy emotion spectrum is just so far of his radar, it might as well be dark matter. For all he knows it's there, he can't see it. As such, he feels ill-equipped to deal with it; he thinks he's getting better, though.

He pops another cube into his mouth and picks up another one, cucumber, this time. Holding it between his index finger and his thumb, he considers it.

‘What are these for, anyway?’

‘Movie-night.’ Bruce says without looking up from his board, where he's cutting a yellow bell-pepper into stripes.   
‘Steve and I think that the team eats too much junk food, so we're taking drastic countermeasures.’ Placing the pepper pieces into a new bowl, the man picks up a red one to cut up next.

‘Are you talking about the chips? Because those are technically vegetables. ’ Tony feels the need to argue. Granted, he himself is not very fond of them; Clint is, though.

‘If it was bathed in oil and sprinkled with artificial colours and flavour enhancers, it's lost its right to be called healthy.’

‘It's your goal in life to take all the fun out of my mine, isn't it?’

‘If it makes you live longer, then it is.’

There go the warm and fuzzys, again. Or maybe its heartburn, in which case cutting back on the unhealthy stuff would indeed do him some good. Considering his empty bowl, he decides that eating more vegetables will be a good start and holds his bowl out for Bruce, for a refill.


End file.
